Amazing Animals facts for kids

Amazing Animals (also known as Henry's Amazing Animals for home videos) is a super fun and educational TV show for kids! It's an animated nature program from America and Britain. The show was made by Dorling Kindersley Vision and Partridge Films. It first aired on The Disney Channel in 1996. You could also watch it on Family Channel in Canada, and it was even available on VHS tapes!

The show is all about a cool green lizard named Henry. He's a CGI character with purple spots, and he acts a lot like a person. Henry talks with a narrator who you can hear but never see. Each episode has a special theme about animals. For example, Henry might travel through time in a time machine to learn about prehistoric animals! Henry often gets into a tricky situation related to the episode's theme. But don't worry, he always figures it out by the end, usually learning something new along the way.

What Happens in the Show?

Each episode of Amazing Animals is packed with different parts. You'll see Henry on his own adventures, cool video clips of real animals, and even funny cartoons with other animal characters. The show also has two special parts that pop up often: "Henry's Report" and "The Golden Gecko Awards."

Henry's Report

"Henry's Report" is a segment where Henry shares what he's learned. At first, it was like a school report, but later it became more like a news report. The funny thing is, Henry's reports are usually super silly and not quite right! Luckily, the Narrator is always there to give the correct and interesting facts after Henry's funny report. This part is in every single episode.

The Golden Gecko Awards

In "The Golden Gecko Awards," Henry gets to pick three animals that fit the episode's theme. He then gives them special awards! Unlike his reports, these awards are usually very honest and make sense. Henry often does most of the talking here, and he sometimes gets a little annoyed if the Narrator interrupts him. Almost every episode has the Golden Gecko Awards, except for the "Underground Animals" episode, probably because of time.

Meet the Characters

The show has some awesome characters who make learning about animals exciting!

Henry the Lizard

Henry is the main character of the show. He's a small, bright green lizard with cool purple spots and big yellow eyes. Henry is super excited about everything, but he can be a bit silly and not always know a lot at first. He often tries to do things and doesn't quite get them right. But sometimes, Henry can be really smart and even invent things! He loves to say that the lizards you see in the real animal videos are his "cousins." And guess what? His favorite food is pizza! Henry's voice is done by Eric Meyers.

The Narrator

The Narrator is Henry's co-star, but you never actually see him. He's a very smart and wise voice who knows tons about animals. He helps teach Henry (and you!) new things and corrects Henry's funny reports. The Narrator is also really good at making jokes and being a bit sarcastic when Henry is being silly. He's voiced by Tom Clarke-Hill in the US version and Nigel Greaves in the UK version.

Crab Tuesday

Crab Tuesday is Henry's best friend and helper! Henry met him when he visited the seashore. Henry named him "Tuesday" because it reminded him of "Man Friday" from the story of Robinson Crusoe. Crab Tuesday doesn't talk with a voice, but Henry can usually understand what he's saying just by the way he snaps his claws. In one episode, Amazing Animal Hunters, you can hear him mumble "I don't know" to Henry.

Episodes

Amazing Animals has a total of 52 episodes spread across four seasons. Each episode explores a different and exciting topic about animals!

Season 1 (1996)

The first season had 13 episodes, starting on April 16, 1996. Some of the topics included:

• Tropical Birds: Henry learns about colorful birds in rainforests.
• Animal Disguises: Discovering how animals use camouflage to hide.
• Nighttime Animals: Learning about animals that are active at night.
• Animal Appetites: Finding out what different animals eat.
• Animal Survivors: Exploring how animals stay safe in tough places.
• Animal Senses: How animals use their senses to explore the world.
• Animal Weapons: Animals that use their bodies to fight.
• Animal Builders: Animals that build amazing homes.
• Armored Animals: Animals with natural protection.
• Mini Beasts: Learning about very small animals.
• Animal Babies: How animal parents take care of their young.
• Poisonous Animals: Animals that use poison for defense.
• Animal Journeys: Animals that travel long distances.

Season 2 (1997)

Season 2 also had 13 episodes, starting on April 15, 1997. Topics included:

• Birds of Prey
• Desert Animals
• Scary Animals
• Animal Records (fastest, biggest, etc.)
• Animal Colors
• Animal Mothers
• Animal Pets
• Seashore Animals
• Animal Families
• Endangered Animals
• An Animal Year
• Prehistoric Animals
• Monkeys and Apes

Season 3 (1998)

Season 3 had 13 episodes, starting on April 14, 1998. Some of the themes were:

• Animal Hunters
• Animal Talk (how animals communicate)
• Slimy Animals
• Rainforest Animals
• Animal Acrobats
• Underwater Animals
• Animal Neighbors
• Giant Animals
• Creepy Crawly Animals
• Farm Animals
• Animal Changes (how animals grow and change)
• Extinct Animals
• Animal Eggs

Season 4 (1999)

The final season had 13 episodes, starting on April 13, 1999. Topics included:

• Around the World Animals
• Polar Animals
• Clever Animals
• Underground Animals
• Animal Helpers
• Woodland Animals
• Mountain Animals
• Backyard Animals
• Tiny Animals
• Animal Partners
• Scaly Animals
• River Animals
• Animal Flight

Merchandise

Besides the TV show, there were also some cool items you could get! An educational computer game was released along with the TV series. There was also a board game called The Really Amazing Animal Game, but it wasn't sold for very long.

See also

In Spanish: Animales asombrosos para niños